According to a report by Bleacher Report, Premier League high-flyers Leicester City are said to be lining up a couple of January transfers, as they look to bring in alternatives for departed English star Harry Maguire, who went on to join Manchester United in the summer. The Foxes have depended on the defensive-duo of Jonny Evans and Caglar Soyunçu, and so far, things haven’t gone all too badly for them.
As per the report, Brendan Rodgers was keen on either of Burnley’s James Tarkowski or Bournemouth’s Nathan Ake as a replacement for Maguire in the summer. Although a bid in the region of £30m was rejected for the former as well, the Foxes didn’t seem to go through with either deal. But, with Wes Morgan now edging towards the inevitable end of his long career, the need for defensive reinforcements at the King Power Stadium is quite high.
What Is Leicester City’s Current Squad Situation?
Although the Foxes didn’t make too many moves in the summer, the ones they did make were truly inspired indeed. The acquisitions of Newcastle attacker Ayoze Perez and Sampdoria wide-man Dennis Praet both have to be classed as a top quality transfer business. They managed to secure a permanent deal for Belgian prodigy Youri Tielemans as well, further strengthening in the middle of the park.
One area where they didn’t strengthen was in defence. Despite Harry Maguire’s big-money departure, Brendan Rodgers was unable to acquire either of his targets and has instead been using former Celtic loanee Filip Benkovic as a backup. Wes Morgan has been a long-standing servant at the Leicester City camp, and his part in their title triumph a few years back just cannot be underplayed. However, the reality is, at the end of the current season, the Jamaican international will turn 36.
Who Are The Candidates To Replace The Foxes’ Club Captain?
James Tarkowski
The English international is one of the Premier League’s highest-rated defenders, owing largely to his performances under the guidance of Sean Dyche at Burnley. The Manchester-born 26-year-old plied his professional career at Oldham Athletic and then Brentford before he was moved into the Premier League with Burnley in the winter of 2016. He has the right skill-set to form a good relationship with Caglar Soyunçu.
A strong and rather combative defender, the Englishman has an excellent burst of pace and reads the flow of play exceptionally well. Tarkowski’s heading ability earns him a decent number of goals, while he tends to be quite the physical presence in his own box as well. The defender usually times his interceptions to perfection and isn’t one of those players who rush into tackles inside the box.
Nathan Ake
The former Chelsea academy graduate has been a revelation since joining Bournemouth in the summer of 2017. After he left Chelsea for the Vitality Stadium in search of regular playing time, the youngster has developed into one of the league’s most sought-after defenders. His performances since making a move from the capital have been nothing short of sensational.
Still quite young, the 24-year-old Dutchman is an excellent header of the ball and has the physical strength to hold out most opposition attackers. He’s gradually grown into one of the best defenders in the league, thanks to the sheer amount of playing time Eddie Howe is offering him. Having started all twelve league games so far this term, it’s no surprise that Rodgers is interested in the Dutchman’s services.
